Method and means for heating and purifying feed water for locomotive boilers and thelike



J. STUMPF Jan. 22, 1929.

METHOD AND mums FOR HEATING AND PURIFYING FOR LOCOMOTIVE BOILERS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 28, 1924 FEED WATER I ,lhdenlon Lib/zanudlungp/f Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

UNITED STATES I 1,699,998 PATENT OFFICE.

J'OHANN STUMPF, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

METHOD AND MEANS non HEATING AND PURIEYING rnnn warns r02. nocomorrvn BOILERS AND ran LIKE.

Application fled October 28,1924, Serial No. 746,354, and in Germany May 31, 1924.

My invention relates to. combined heating and scale collecting in respect to feed water for locomotive boilers and the like. The object is to provide improved method and means for heating and purifying the feed water.

The known collectors forscale and mud for locomotive boilers and the like,- do not usually sufiice, because the preheating of the feed water is not suflicient to precipitate completely the scale from the water, and also ecause the known scale collectors of locomotive boilers are located in a dome which does not ive suflicient height for the development of tie scale collector; this is especially due to the fact that the height is confined or, limited bv the tube system of the boiler.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate merely by way of example, suitable means for effecting my invention;

Figure 1, is a central vertical section of the heater and urifier showing its position at the front end of a locomotive, and showing the smoke box and a portion of the boiler.

Figure 2 is a cross-section, on line 2, 2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-section on line 3, 8 of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The steel pipe 5 forms the outer vertical shell of the purifier. The plates or elements 6 and 6 are positioned in spaced relationship within the shell 5 and around the central rod 7, which is attached to the header 8 at the top of the collector. The feed water pipe 9 delivers water tangentially into this header 8. It is in most cases preferable to subject the feed water delivered by pipe 9 into header 8, to a preliminary heating by exhaust steam by any suitable exhaust steam heater, such for example as shown in Fig. 2

of my copending application Ser. No. 334,680, filed Dec. 30, 1919, so that the temperature of the feed water introduced into header 8 may be as high as 200 degrees F. or higher. It is also advisable to provide the discharge end of pipe 9 with a suitable nozzle 10, so that the watcr'may be introduced into the header 8 in the form of a spray.

Live steam is introduced into header '8 by the live steam pipe 11, suitably controlled by a. valve 12.

This valve 12 may also'be operated arbitrarily by any suitable connecting. mechanism, such as 13 leading to the cab. The

header 8 is preferably covered by the lagging 5 is also provided, toward its lower end,

with a flange 16, engaging the bottom of the smoke box or other suitable part or support.

The plates or elements 6 and 6 are arranged around the central rod 7, are spaced apartby interposed webs 6 and are so arranged that the water, traveling down pipe 5, will alternately travel around the outer circumference of plate or element 6 and then through an opening, as at 17 in plate or element 6 surrounding rod 7, so that the water will have a zigzag or tortuous path of travel from top to bottom of the pipe or shell 5. The element 6 is provided with the web formation 6 radiating from the sleeve 6 which surrounds rod 7.

Near the lower end of pipe 5 and below the last depositing plate 6, is provided a partition or plate 18, secured to the lower end of rod 7 and provided with a channels 19.. Beneath this partition or plate 18 the lower end of pipe 5 forms a mud chamber 20 closed normally by the removable closure or plate 21, in-which is preferably scoured the clean-out or drain valve 22 controlled by the rod 23 leading to the cab. At the top of the mud chamber 20, preferably just below plate 18, is connected the feed water pipe 24: leading to the lower side of the boiler 25. This pipe is controlled by the check valve 26, which may also be arbitrarily controlled, as by rod 26, from the cab it desired.

By removing the lagging 14, after disconnecting pipes 9 and 11, as at the unions 9 and 11, the header 8, rod 7, plates 6 and 6 and plate or partition 18, can all be drawn upwardly and out of pipe 5, by means of a crane, for the purpose of cleaning.

By removing the plate or closure 21, the

mud chamber can be thoroughly cleaned; and bydisconnecting pipe 24 as at 24, and theflanges 16 and 16', the collector pipe 5 can be lifted out of the smoke box, by means of a crane, for cleaning or repairs.

The pipe 5 is shown to taper toward the lower en to facilitate the removal of rod 7 and plates or elements 6, 6 and 18, and also, this pipe 5 is shown as made in secplurality of 1 the feed water underboiler' pressure is heated in a direct heater, in direct contact with live steam, thereby raising the temperature sufficiently to cause the precipitation of the scale. The scale collector and heater are conveniently combined in one organism which is located outside the boiler. Bythe present arrangement the maximum height for the development of the heater and the collector is made available, as the whole vertical clearance of the railway is available. At the same time it is possible to arrange this device in the smoke box 29 of the locomotive boiler, preferably in the center line of the smoke box, directly, before the chimney or smoke pi e27, thereby securin the advantage of a rther heating of the eed water by the combustion gases.

The heat of the combustion gases will facilitate the deposition of the scale by attaching the precipitated scale to the heated metal walls of the collector.

Extraordinary height is available for thedevelopment of this collector, which in'its internal construction comprises baflie plates, disposed one beneath another and providing spaces for the flow in a tortuous path, from the circumference of the collector toward the center and vice versa, downwardly through the collector, so that the scale will be deposited on these bafile plates or elements 6, b 6", until the feed water passes at the lowest end, through the perforated plate 18, into a chamber connected by a suitable piping and check valve to the lower part of the boiler.

This latter chamber gglbelow the said pipe connection, forms the ud space.

When opening this clean-out valve 22, the check valve 26 1n the lower feed water pipe will close.- A'closing device 10 is provided 1n the upper feed water pipe.

When this valve is closed and the cleanout valve at the bottom of the mud chamber is opened, the water contained in the collector will flow out through the clean-out or drain valve and flush awa the mud. This may be followed bythe ow of live steam which will loosen the scale and in elfect form with the same a sand blower, whereby a large part of the deposited scale will be removed througlrsaid drain or clean-out valve. By this method and arrangement the greater part of the deposited scale and mud can be removed or discharged from the collector.

3 The whole device is readily accessible. The mteriorly arranged baflies or depositing plates 6, 6 and the scale deposited thereon, can easily be removed by' withdrawing the .same through the top of the collector as before described. The whole heater and collector including the outer shell may also be removed by drawing the same through the top of the smoke box, by means of a crane.

The shell or pipe 5, even when in place, does not affect, to any appreciable extent, the accessibility of the boiler tubes, since this pipe 5 is located directly in front of the smoke pipe 27 and spark arrester 28.

The direct contact live steamlheater or header 8 is preferably located on top of the smoke box 29 outside the same, where sufficient width is available to give this heater a large diameter, so as to give the feed water an extensive contact with the live steam delivered through pipe 11. The water isbest introduced by a spray thereby giving a large surface .of the water to take up the heat of the live steam. The water can also be introduced, or sprayed in, tangentially in order to cause the water to form a whirlpool with an ample possibility to take up the heat from the live steam. The action of the heat on the surface of the water is further increased by a fall of the water through-the long vertlcally extending shell and over the succeeding depositing plates or elements 6, 6. The Wlll go on until a water level is reached in the collector corresponding approximatel with the boiler water level, which will be sta ilized in the collector in accordance with the surface of the water in the boiler, only a little diflerence in height being necessitated by the resistance which the feed Water will find on its way through "the collector, the feed pipe, and the check valve.

A certain over-pressure may be produced in the purifier and heater by any of a number of well-known methods, in order to overcome the resistance in the heater, the feed pipe and the check valve.

The final effect of the new invention Wlll be that the feed water will be almost entirely cleaned from scale and mud, and that this water, especially if an exhaust steam heater with atmos heric or higher steam pressure is inserted in the feed pipe before the livesteam heater 8, will be heated up to or near to the eva orating temperature at its entrance into, the oiler space. The result will be a longer life of the boiler, an extensive dispensation of repairs and a great'imp'rovement in economy and efiiciency.

As the water level in the boiler must be Y maintained also the water level in the combined heater and purifier will be maintained, i. e. the division of the whole space into live steam heater and scale collector will be maintained automatically. What I claim is 1. The method of heating and purifying feed water for locomotive boilers which consists in introducing .the feed water directly into a confined s ace positioned above the as the same is separated from the water during its travel.

2. In a feed. water heatlng and purifying system for locomotive boilers and the like,

the combination of means forming a live steam heater positioned above the to of the smoke box, means forming a mud c amber below thebottom of the smoke box, means forming a confined path of travel from the live steam heater through the smoke box to the mud chamber, means forming deposit. surfaces, one above another in said confined path of travel and means for conducting the water from said confined path of travel, at a point below the bottom of the smoke box, to the boilerl 3. In a feed waterheating and purifying system for locomotive boilers andthe like, the combination of means forming a live steam heater positioned above the top of the smoke box, means forming a mndchamber positioned below the bottom of the-smoke box, means comprising a downwardly tapering shell, forming a confined path of travel from the live steam heater through the smoke box to the mud chamber, means conducting the water therefrom-to the boiler, and means heater through the smoke box to the mud forming de o'sit surfaces, one above another in said confined path of travel.

4. In a feed water heating and purifying system for locomotive boilers and the like, the combination of means forming a live steam heater positioned above the top of the smoke box, means forming a mud chamber positioned below the bottom of the smoke box,

means comprising a shell com osed of vertically extending separable sectlons, forming a confined path of travel from the live steam chamber, means conducting the water therefrom to the boiler and means forming deposit surfaces, one above another in said confinedpath of travel.

' 5. In a feed water heating and purifying system for locomotive boilers and the like the combination of means forming a live steam heater positioned above the top of the smoke box, means forming a mud chamber below the bottom of the smoke box, means forming aconfined path of travel from the live steam heater through the smoke box to the mud chamber, means conducting the water therefrom to the boiler, and means, comprising a supporting rod and a plurality of horizontal plates supported thereby, forming deposit surfaces in said confined path of travel.

6. In a feed water heating and purifying system for locomotive boilers and the like, the combination of means forming a live steam heater positioned above the top of the smoke box, means forming a mud'chamber positioned below the bottom of the smoke box,

means forming a confined path of travel from the live steam heater through the smoke box to the mud chamber, means conducting the water therefrom to the boiler, and means, comprising a supporting rod and a plurality of horizontal plates supported thereby, alternate plates having radiating webs for engaging adjacent plates, forming deposit surfaces in said confined path of travel.

7. In a feed water heating and purifying system for locomotive boilers and the like,

the combination of means including a live steam heater positioned above the. smoke box,- a feed water pipe and a live steam pipe joining together and delivering through a common tapered nozzle to said live steam heater, means forming a mud chamber positioned below the bottom of the smoke box, means forming a confined path of travel from the live steam heater through the smoke box to the mud chamber, means forming deposit surfaces one above another in said confined path of travel and means for conducting the water from the mud drum to the boiler.

- J OI-IANN STUMPF. 

